An easy way to follow the stars down the street is to take a trip to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. For the past several decades, the Walk of Fame has been one of the top tourist destinations in Hollywood. Each pink terrazzo star celebrates someone who has been important to show business since it began, and it can be exciting to locate the star that is named for your favorite celebrity.

A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is still one of the most sought-after awards in the entertainment industry, and new ones are being given every year. Learn the history of the Walk of Fame, and how your favorite celebrity got her star.

What is the Walk of Fame?The Walk of Fame is a series of sidewalks in the middle of Hollywood that have stars embedded in them to honor people who have made important contributions to the entertainment industry over the years. Stars began putting their foot and handprints into cement in the courtyard of Grauman’s Chinese Theater in 1927, but Hollywood realized that they would soon run out of room.

The Walk of Fame was started in 1960 to promote tourism to Hollywood Boulevard, and it is still overseen by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce today. It was designated as a landmark by the City of Los Angeles in 1978. When it opened in 1960, there were 2,500 pink terrazzo stars surrounded by a dark grey terrazzo square. In the beginning, 1,558 were dedicated to past entertainment greats with 948 left blank. So far, only about 2,350 of the stars have been dedicated, with an additional 20 or so new stars every year.

Each star has the name of the celebrity and a symbol of his industry embedded into the star itself. There are five categories of stars: movie actors and directors, symbolized by the image of a movie camera; television personalities and executives, symbolized by a television set; singers and songwriters, symbolized by an old-fashion record; radio personalities, symbolized by an old radio microphone; and a comedy/tragedy mask for stage performers. In the past several years there have been a few additions to these five categories, but when Disneyland got a star for its 50th anniversary, the symbol of a building was placed on the star.

Where is the Walk of Fame?Located in the heart of Hollywood, the Walk of Fame isn’t just a few city blocks – it stretches for miles in several directions. On Hollywood Boulevard, it runs from Gower Street to La Brea Avenue. On Vine Street, it goes from Yucca Street to Sunset Boulevard. At Hollywood Boulevard and La Brea Avenue there is a silver gazebo with a tower on the top held by life-sized silver statues representing Mae West, Dorothy Dandridge, Dolores Del Rio and Anna May Wong.

There are guided tours of the Walk of Fame virtually every day, but one of the pleasures of this attraction is finding your favorite stars by yourself.

How Do You Get a Star?Each star on the Walk of Fame symbolizes a lifetime of achievement.

The committee (made up of a member of each of the five industries) meets every June to decide on the recipients. These recipients have been nominated by fans, business groups, managers and other people in the industry. You can actually get a nominating application from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce website. It must be accompanied by a letter of acceptance from either the star herself or her management team.

The star must also agree to pay $25,000 for the star, ceremony, upkeep and security. But don’t feel too bad for your favorite Hollywood Walk of Fame star – most of the fees are paid by management companies for promotional purposes. Recipients have five years to schedule a ceremony after they have been nominated, and then they have to reapply. This wasn’t always the case. John Denver had been nominated for a star 15 years before his death in 1997, but never had time to schedule a ceremony.

Because there are so many stars, most visitors don’t see the entire Walk of Fame. Los Angeles is a big city, so the best bet is to find the exact location of your favorite celebrity’s star on the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce website. You can also find a list of upcoming ceremony dates and times, but since celebrity schedules change so often, be sure to get an update right before the event.

Walk of Fame Facts

* The first star was for Joanne Woodward on February 9, 1960.

* The only person who has two stars in the same category is Diana Ross.

* The only person who has a star in every category is Gene Autry.

* Two people tied for the youngest recipient at age 21 – Melissa Gilbert and Britney Spears.

* You don’t have to be human to get a star – Kermit the Frog and Big Bird both have one.

* The stars do not all face in the same direction so people walking in both directions down the sidewalk can read some of the stars.

* The nominating committee gets about 200 applications every year.

* Muhammad Ali’s star is on the wall of the Kodiak Theater because he didn’t want people walking on it.

* Gregory Peck’s star is the only one that has been stolen and not recovered (it was replaced).

* Two dogs have received stars – Lassie and Rin Tin Tin.

* There is a five-year waiting period for a posthumous star.

* The entire Walk of Fame is about 3 ½ miles roundtrip.

* If the stars were set side by side, they would cover over five acres.

* Once a month, a volunteer group called the Star Polishers gets together to clean up the sidewalk stars.

While a celebrity has to fit into one of the five recognized categories in order to be nominated for a star on the Walk of Fame, there is no reliable criterion for who gets a star and who doesn’t. After all, Susan Lucci has one, while Clint Eastwood is still waiting for the call. A celebrity’s star on the Walk of Fame is often the gathering place during a time of tragedy or on a special day.

Fans gather on John Lennon’s star on the anniversary of his death every year, leaving flowers and notes. If you want a star of your own, but feel that your career may not allow you to qualify for a spot on the world’s most famous sidewalk, head over to HollywoodMegastore.com. In addition to a large amount of Walk of Fame memorabilia, you can buy your own replica star with stick-on letters. For under $20, fame and fortune can be yours!

Are You a Drama Queen?Celebrities are notorious for causing a scene, whether they're punching out paparazzi or blubbering to Barbara Walters about their ex. When you read about the latest scandal in the tabloids, are you appalled by the ruckus or awed by the bold behavior? Find out if you need to tone down the hissy fits with our drama queen quiz.